*Alex in Picture*
Walking in the restaurant Dessiah and Paris took a seat at a nearby table. There was a wall that looked like vending machines. Small windows with food inside like, fries, sandwiches, and more. In fact it was, to an extent because once you input money in the machine the window would open and it was fresh food given to you that was prepared by the kitchen behind the wall. Dessiah was intrigued and fascinated by this process.
Paris selected curry shrimp cabbage over rice, while Dessiah chose teriyaki salmon with broccoli. Although it was somewhat early they sat on metal stools looking at patrons rushing through the streets.
“Do you like it?” Paris asked watching.
“Yea I do its really good. How about yours?”
“The Bomb as usual!”
“Thank you for today Paris you’ve been so kind to me.” Dessiah looked in her eyes to show the sincerity from her heart.
“Don’t worry about it girl I had someone do it for me when I came to work for Simmons & Son. Believe me I almost quit numerous times so I understand.”
“What is his problem? Why is he so mean?”
“Who Mr. Simmons? He’s not that bad believe me.” Dessiah looked up from her plate and stared at Paris in disbelief.
“Hahaha don’t look at me like that I’m serious. Detrick has his moments but under it all he’s…. he’s a…” Paris looked in the distance and became teary eyed. It was peculiar to see how her demeanor changed when defending Detrick. She snapped out of her thoughts when she noticed Dessiah was hanging onto her every word. Paris smiled nervously and attempted to change the subject. “Anyway how old is your daughter?” Dessiah noticed the shift in conversation but decided to roll with it. She didn’t want to pressure Paris to elaborate on Detrick and make her uncomfortable especially since she did everything to make Dessiah feel welcomed.
“She’s 5 and a half. She’ll be 6 in a couple of months. Matter of fact she’ll be spending her birthday here.” Dessiah reached for her phone to show Paris Delaney’s picture.
“Oh my goodness she is too precious. How do you ever tell her no?”
“With my eyes closed. Those dimples get me every time.” They laughed. “Do you have any kids?” Dessiah asked.
“No not yet but one day I hope to have two. My boyfriend Alec wants six but aint nobody got time for dat ahaha.” Paris showed his picture. Dessiah tried to hold her gasp at how attractive he was out of respect. So she just stared in silence. He stared at Paris in the picture in complete admiration. His beautiful tan skin, bright blue eyes, and blonde shaved hair made him look like something to drool over. It was evident that he was tall, much taller than Paris. He stared at her and she smiled with pride in the camera while in his arms. Dessiah had never seen love in a picture like this before. Not even her own wedding pictures made you feel warm inside. It always seemed like Daryl wasn’t all there with her. Maybe that was the red flag she ignored. Eve had it right when she said Love is blind.
“Girl you wanna wipe your mouth drooling over my man? Haha” Paris said smiling. Dessiah looked away embarrassed.
“I’m sorry. My bad it’s just… he’s so..”
“Scrumptious, delicious, thank the Lord fine? Yes I know. That’s nothing his heart is even more beautiful than his outward appearance. I never thought I’d have someone love me in the way that he does but when God shows you your worth and who you are, believe him. God showed me who I was and that helped me to accept nothing less than what I deserved. Then he came along and showed me that all those years of pain and feeling unwanted were worth it because now I know and appreciate real love.
“He sounds amazing. Is he here with you in Japan?” Dessiah asked taking a sip of her Pepsi.
“Yes and no. He’s in the Marines and is stationed in Okinawa Island which is about a 39 hour drive from here more or less. We see each other every other weekend.”
“Wow did you guys meet here?”
“Yea we did actually. God is so funny how he does things. See almost two years ago Detrick went to China for three months and I stayed in the States. It was only three months so it was no point in me joining him for business. But I really wanted to go because I wanted a chance to see the world. Especially France, that’s actually how I got my name because my mother and father honeymooned there and that’s where I was conceived. Well when I was little my father would always tell me how beautiful it was and about all the buildings and food. I fell in love with Paris before I even saw it. So, where was I? Oh yes, okay so Detrick came back for a little while then he left to London and I was like Jesus I want to go too. What about me? Well I was going through so much at one point in my life and then Detrick was told to come to Japan and he refused to use anyone else but me as his right hand man so here I am.”
“How did you meet?”
“Oh yea I didn’t mention that, girl I’m a little ADD haha. So I came here knowing no one other than Detrick and I didn’t know the language at all. I was in the market and I remember looking around feeling so out of place like I made the wrong decision to come all the way across the world by myself. But God kept telling me something was here for me. I walked around the market picking up things that I really didn’t know what they were. Got to the butcher and held up the line trying to make sure he gave me fish and not dolphin. That’s when Alec came behind me and translated what I wanted. Dessiah, I looked in his eyes and it was like I found myself. Who I was meant to be?”
“Wow.”
“Yea, wow is right. We became friends and started dating the funny thing is that he’s from Paris. Well his family is but he grew up in Decatur Georgia. See how God works? He was a city over from where I was and yet we had to come across the world to find one another. ”Dessiah nodded and for some reason thought of Detrick. He had been in Atlanta yet coming across the world to see him again only to have him be an asshole.
“That is so beautiful Paris.”
“Thanks. He is amazing. Anyway enough about me. Let’s talk about you and what you need to win over Detrick.” Paris clapped her hands in excitement.
“I don’t want to win him over I just came here to do my job and go home.” Dessiah said defensively.
“I’m talking about his respect.”
“Oh.”
“What did you think I was talking about?” Paris asked with an arched brow.
“Uhh nothing. That.”
“Okay. Anyway you have to get in contact with radio and also use social media to your benefit.”
“Paris can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“What Happened in China? Mr. Simmons said he didn’t want a repeat of China.”
“Well Detrick came back to Atlanta and everything was fine. Then he went through something personal and left to London to get away. While he was there something went wrong with the Aiko deal. See Mr. Aiko decided to renegotiate the terms of his contract because there was an issue with a software that they were developing. Everything worked out with the software but another company tried to come in and buy out Simmons partnership offering a wider distribution for the product. ”
“So what happen?” Dessiah thought that was shady of the other company but she learned nothing was fair in business.
“Detrick was hard to reach in London and once we got a hold of him he was asked to go back to China. He refused for a while and Mr. Aiko almost pulled out altogether. With much convincing Detrick flew back to meet with Aiko and save the day but now he has a sour taste with Detrick because he found that disrespectful. One thing about the Asian business culture is respect and honor.”
“That is so true.” Dessiah agreed.
“So that’s why we’re here in Japan. For Aiko to be sold her and spread to other countries for international distribution.”
“I can see why he is adamant about this going well.”
“This deal is very Important to Mr. Simmons his father and the company. Dessiah you have to come up with a way to set the stores apart from anything that’s already here. From what’s in the grocery store to the Aiko electronics location. The stores are a little distance apart so if you can come up with something that will have Mr. Aiko smiling which he never does then you’re in there girl.”
“He doesn’t smile?”
“Dessiah I thought I saw him smirk but he was just sneezing with his mouth closed. He’s tough and we have to restore that business relationship.”
“Wow that’s pressure.” Dessiah sighed inwardly.
“Just a little but I have your back.”
“Thanks. I’ll start thinking of something quick.”
“Good, let’s get going upstairs because Detrick in a mood and I don’t feel like hearing his mouth when I get back.” They both stood with their garbage dropping it in a canister and walking back to the lobby elevator. Dessiah silently prayed that God would show her a way to make this a success.
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I HAD TO UPDATE FOR YOU GUYS. PARIS MAN ALEC IS SO FINE..OMG. DO YOU THINK DESSIAH WILL PULL IT OFF AND GAIN DETRICK'S RESPECT. DANG HOW BAD WAS DETRICK TO BE IN LONDON AND NOT WANT TO BE BOTHERED? IM GOING TO UPDATE AGAIN HOPEFULLY TODAY. ILL TRY AND MAKE IT INTERESTING FOR YOU. PLEASE HELP ME STAY ON MY GAME I WANT TO UPDATE EVERYDAY. DID YALL SEE SCANDAL LAST NIGHT? OMG!!! PLEASE GO LIKE MY FACEBOOK PAGE FACEBOOK.COM/LOURDARDEN25
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